Heating apparatus



Feb. 3, 1931. s. H. MGKNIGHT HEATING APPARATUS Filed June 6, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 qlllllllllilflili ATTORNEY 4 Feb. 3, 1931. s. H. McKNlGHT HEATING APPARATUS Filed June 6. 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 O 0 9 0 @OQO 0 INVENTO 5 n g/zt ATTORN EYS Patented Feb. 3, i931 pATENT- OFFICE l H. ICKNIGHT, F JERSEY CTY, NEW JERSEY HEATING APPARATUS Application mea June e, 192e. sei-m1 my. 368,896.

The present invention relates to heat transference apparatus of the class employed` for the heating of a fresh fluid by extraction of heat from ahot, waste iuid. More particularly, the invention relates to an apparatus for plreheating fresh water for laundry use lby t e extraction of heat fromhot, waste water discharged from the laundry machinery. Important objects of the invention 1o are to provide a preheater of maximum eiliclency; and to provide such an a paratus embodying improved features o design which render it extremely compact in comparison with its capacity for heat transference. Other objects. of the invention will aplplear hereinafter.

the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the apparatus; Fig. 2 is a plan view partly in section;

Fig. 3 a transverse section taken on the line 3-3 of Fi 1;`

Fig. 4 a section taken on the line 1f-4, of

Fig. 1;

ig. 5 a section taken onthe .line 5-5 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 a section taken on the 1ine'6-6 of Fi 1; and Fig. 7 a diagrammatic perspective view of the apparatus, with the parts separated, and

30 the assage of the u'ids indicated.

y apparatus includes a central or intermediate shell 1, preferably considerably elongated and of cylindrical form, and two short end shells 2 and 3. These three shells are di' rectly jointed together in axial alinement and are supported in a horizontal position or substantially so, by feet or pedestalmembers 4 which are fixed to the shell 1'. Together with l interior duid-circulating ineens, to be described presently, these assembled shells forma preheating unit. y

. The ends of shell 1 are tightly closed by walls or cylinder heads 5 and 6. Within this shell aretwo central intersecting partitins 7 and 8 which divide the cylindrical space longitudinally into fourlelongated chambers or passages. Partitionf7 isdisposed horizontally and partition 8 is vertically disposed( Their intersection is at the axis of the shell 5 and both extend the full diameter of the inposite end, 7b, only half the width of the 60 partition reaches to the end wall 6 and makes a water-tight fit with it. This half of said width, disposed at the lett of the vertical partition 8, (with. reference to Figs. 3 to 6) terminatesv short of the end Wall to provide 05 afluid communication `13 of liberal capacity between the lower chamber 10 and the chamber 11 directly over it. The vertical partition 8, at one end,.v8, makes a water-tight t while its opposite end, 8", terminates, across its full width, short of the end wall 5 to provide two transverse horizontal iuid com munications 14 and 15 of liberal capacity located respectively above and below the horizontal partition 7 and separated thereby.

Communication .14 is between the lower chambers 9 and 10 and communication 15 is between the upper chambers 11 and 12. Their purposevv'ill appear hereinafter. A large number of water conduit tubes or pipes' lextend throughout the'length of the shell 1 and are arranged in four banks, one bank in each of the quadrant-shaped chambers. The ifour banks are designated 17, 18, 85 19 and 20. -At their opposite ends all of the tubes are secured in apertures 21 formed in the end walls 5 and 6 and open therethrough into the `end shells or sections 2 and 3. The ,o number, size and arrangement of the tubes l are such as to leave a liberal water conduit I chamber. rOpening into id conduit space `against the end wall 6 across its full width, 70 i of the lewer chamber 9 is a water inlet nozg .Y

zle 22, which extends downwardly from the shell and is flanged at its lower end. A water outlet nozzle 23 opens outwardly from located at 'the end-of the shell 1 adjacent the wall 6.

A series of central baHle plates 24 are mountedin positions spaced alongthe axis ofthe shell 1. Midway between these plates are mounted larger circular baffle plates 25 which Ht within the circumference of the shell space. The central plates 24 are square in contour in the present instance and each plate 25 is formed with' a square central opening 26 of liberal area. rlhe contour of plates 24 and of openings 26 may, of course, be varied. The plates of both series extend equally into all four chambers of the shell and the tubes. 16 pass through them.

For joining together the shells 1, 2 and 3, said shells are provided with rigid, annular end Hanges 27 which abut and are secured together by, bolts 28. The outer end of each tight Ht with the end wall 5 of the shell 1 and with a horizontal, inwardly extending rib 33 formed upon the door 29. The partition di' vides the end shell space into an upper compartment 34 and a lower compartment 35. The former places the tubes of the two upper banks 17 and 18 in transverse horizontal communication and the latter places the two lower banks 19 and 20 'in transverse horizontal communication. The opposite end shell 3 is similarly-provided with a central vertical partition 36 extending diametrically the full height and length of the shell. This partition divides the shell space into utwo compartments;l and a horizontal, radially ex'- tending partition 37 extends between parti. 'tion 36 and one side of the shell and subdivides one of said compartments into halves, forming an upper section 38 and a lower section 39. The undivided compartment is designated 40. Both partitions 4make a water-tight fitv at their opposite edges, with the end wall 6 of shell 1 and with inwardly extending ribs 33 formed upon the door 29.

The compartment sections 38 and 39 are in alinement with the chambers 9 'and 12, respectively, so that section 38 opens into upper bank of tubes 17, and lower bank 20 opens into section 39. Shell 3 is provided with an inlet u nozzle 41 opening into the upper compartment section 38 and an outlet nozzle 42 open- .ing into the lower compartment section 39.

These nozzles extend respectively upwardly and downwardly and are Hanged at their outer ends. Compartment 40, which is undivided, forms a transverse' vertical communicationA between upper bank of tubes 1,8` and lower bank 19.

In the employment of the apparatus for preheating\water for laundry use, hot, waste water from which heat is to be extracted is conducted from the laundry machineryto the inlet 41 of the preheating unit. Fromsaid inlet the waste water Hows, as indicated by the arrows marked W, into compartment section 38 and thence in succession through the upper bank 17' of tubes, the transverse horizontal communication formed by compartment 34 of the end shell 2, through the upper bank 18 of tubes, downwardly through the vertical communication formed by the compartment'40 of the end shell 3, through the lower bank 19 of tubes, the transverse communication formed by compartment 35 in end shell 2, and through the remaining lower bank 20 of tubes to the outlet 42 through which. it leavesthe apparatus. Simultaneusly, the fresh water which is to be heated or preheated is conducted to the inlet 22 through which it Hows directly into elongated lower chamber 9 of the shell. Thence the fresh water Hows, as indicated by the arrows F, along chamber 9, through the transverse horizontal communication 14 at the end of partition 8-to lower chamber 10, along the length of the latter and through the transverse vertical communication 13 at the end of horizontal partition 7, and into upper chamber 11, then along chamber 11, through transverse horizontal communication 15 at the end of vertical partition 8, into upper chamber 12 and along chamber 12 to outlet 23, through which it leaves the shell 1. In its passage through the conduit space of each chamber, surroundin the waste water pipes, the fresh water ,is diverted transversely by the baHle means and caused to travel in a serpentine path so as to direct its volume into a more effective contact with the heated pipes and obtain a more eiiicient transference of the heat. The baille means are designed toldo this with a'minimum resistance to the How of the fresh water. The central plates 24 and the' larger, centrally apertured plates 25, materially spaced from plates 24, cause scarcely any friction in the water How and do not a preciably cut down the head which forces t e l t spondingly warmer as it progresses through the various elongated chambers. The waste water passes through-the tubes contained in the'chambrs 12, 11, 10 and 9 in the order named, whereas V.the fresh water passes through said chambers in the reversed order,

that is 9,' 10, 11 and 12, and constantly in a reverse direction to the How of the waste water. This counter flow is very ativantageous as it greatly increases the eiciency of the heat transference. The fresh water, as it is heated, constantly progresses toward an approaching stream of warmer fluid so that a substantially constant thermal differential is maintained throughout the entire passage of the fresh Water through the device. Furthermore the passageways of both fluids are designed for-an unimpeded'flow thereof at a rather high uniform velocity. This also contributes materially to an eiiicient heat transference owing to the fact that the transference ofheat from a fluid is in direct proportion to the velocity of its iiow.

The preheater is designed throughout to give it the utmost eiiiciency and at the same time render it extremely compact in comparison with its heating capacity. It is designed also to facilitate its care. All passages through which `the dirty, waste water passes are readily accessible for cleansing. Opening of the doors 29 exposes the interiors of the end shells 2 and 3 and also all of the vPil tubes 16 which serve as conduits for the waste Water, so that the tubes may be blown latter and joining the nozzles 22 and 42 of the upper unit to the nozzles 23 and 4l re-- spectively of the -lower unit. The flanged nozzles are designed and located to vprovide for this. While the apparatus is shown as supported by pedestals, it may be suspended if found more convenient.

While I have shown a `highly satisfactory form of my invention I do not wish to be limited strictly to the structure disclosed nor to the specific use stated but reserve the right to make such changes in both structure and application as will be within the scope of the claims. i

What I claim is:

1. A heating apparatus comprising a substantially horizontal, tubular shell; a vertical partition and a horizontal partition both extending longitudinally through said shell and `dividing it into a plurality of upper chambers located above the horizontal partition and a plurality of lower chambers located below the horizontal partition; a bank of fluid conduits extending longitudinally through each of said chambers and leaving surrounding conduit space therealong in each chamber; fluid connect-ions between the chambers; fluid connections between the different banks ofl conduits; outlet and inlet ports for the chambers;

and outlet and inlet ports for the conduits,

said ports and Huid connections of the chambers and conduits being designed and located to cooperate for a counterliow of fluids, one Huid first through the upperbanks'of conduits in succession and then through the lower Huid first through the lower chambers in successlon and then through the upper chambers in succession constantly in a direction counter `to the flow of the first fluid.

a vertical partition extending longitudinally through the intermediate shell and dividing its space into a pair of upper -chambers and a 'pair of lower chambersg a bank of conduits extending longitudinally through each ofsaid chambers, openin through the end walls of the interme iate shell into the end shells and leaving surrounding conduit space therealong in each chamber; a horizontal central partition dividing the-interior of one end shell into an upper compartment opening into the twobanks of upper lconduits and ya lower compartment opening into the two banks of lower conduits; a transverse fluid connection between said' upper chambers; a transverse fluid connection 'beweenfsaid lower chambers, bot-h withinthe intermediate shell at the end thereof adjacent said divided end shell and separated from each other; a vertical partition dividing the interior of the o posite end shell into two compartments; alli viding one of said latter compartments into an upper section communicating with one of the up er banks of conduits and having a fluid inlet t erefor, and a lower section communicating wifh'the lower bank directly beneath it and having a fluid outlet therefor, the intermediate shell having a fluid inlet and a iuid outlet adjacent. said compartment sections and opening respectively into the lower and upper. chambers adjacent said sections, and f `.70 banks of conduits 1n succession, and the other orizontal partition subdilon 'tudinally extending, vertical partition in sai shell, said partition dividing the interior of the shell into four elongated chambers, the vertical partition terminating short of one of the end'walls of the shell both above andbelow the horizontal partition to place the two upper chambers in communication with each other and the two lower chambers in commuing longitudinally through each chamber and nication with each other and the opposite end of the horizontal partition terminating short of the opposite end wall, at one side only of the vertical partition to place an upper chamber into communication withthe chamber directly beneath it; a bank of conduits extendleaving a surrounding conduit space therealong in each chamber; transverse fluid com-y munications between said banks of conduits; an outlet and an inlet for the chambers; and an outlet and an inlet for the conduits, said communications and said outlets and inletsl of the chambers and the conduits being designed and located to cooperate for the iiow o-f one fluid through the different banks of conduits in succession and theoiiow of another fluid in an opposite direction thnough the chambers in succession.

4. A heating apparatus comprising a tubular shell closed at its ends; a central, longitu-4 dinally extending, .horizontal partition in said shell; a central, longitudinally extending, vertical partition in said shell, said artitions dividing the interior of the shell 1nto four elongated chambers, the vertical partition terminating short of one of the end walls of the shell both above and' below the horizontal partition to place the two upper chambers in communication with each other and the two lower chambers in communication with each otherland the opposite end of the horizontal 'partition terminating short of the opposite end wall, at one side only of the vertical partition to place an upper chamber into communicationrwith the chamber directly beneath it; a bank of conduits extending longitudinally through each chamber and leaving Va surrounding conduit space therealong in each chamber; transverse fluid communications between said banks of conduits; an outletand inlet for the chambers;

.an outlet and an inlet for the conduits, said communications and said outlets and inlets of the chambers and the conduits being designed and located to cooperate for the flow of one fluid through the ditferentbanks of conduits in succession and tm ilow of another iuid in an opposite direction through the chambers in succession; a series oi central bales spaced along the axis of the shell and extending transversely into each chamber; and a series of longitudinally spaced baffles alternating with said central baffles extending transversely inward from the walls of the shell and formed with openings of liberal area along the shell axis.

5. A heating apparatus comprising an elongated tubular intermediateshell closed at its ends; a pair of longitudinal partitions dividing the interior of said shell into quadrant chambers; 'fourpbanks of tubes, each bank extending longitudinally through one of said chambers, leaving a surrounding canduit space in the latter and opening through cooperating with the partitions for a flow of iiuid longitudinally through all the chambers 1n succession from the inlet'to the outlet;

'end shells attached to theintermediate shell and having the tubes of the four banks opening into them; and partitions in said end shells dividing the latter into chambers forming transverse passages connecting the banks similarly to the chambers in which they lie for a liow of uid longitudinally throu h all of the banks in succession in a reverse irection to the flow through the chambers.

6. A heating apparatus comprising an elongated tubular intermediate shell closed at its ends a pair of longitudinal partitions dividingthe interior of said shell into quadrant chambers; four banks of tubes, each bank extending longitudinally through one of said chambers, leaving a surrounding conduit space in the latter and opening throu h the closed ends of the shell; a fluid inlet or one of said chambers; afiuid outlet for another one ofthe chambers; transverse passages within the shell at opposite ends thereof cooperating with the partitions for a flow of fluid longitudinally through all the chambers in succession from the inlet to the outlet; end shells attached to the intermediate shell and having the tubes of the four banks opening into them; partitions in said end shells dividing the latter into chambers forming transverse passages connecting the banks similarly to the chambers in whlch the lie for a How of Huid longitudinally througli all the banks in succession in a reverse direction to the flow through the chambers; and closures for the outer ends of the yend shells mounted for shiftin to open position to expose the opposite en cleaning them. I

7. A heating apparatus comprising an elongated tubular shell closed at its ends; a pair of longitudinal partitions dividin the interior of said shell into longitudinal c ambers including a first chamber, a `second chamber, a third chamber and a fourth chamber, in

for the first chamber and a fluid outlet for the of all of the tubes for fourth chamber both at the same end of the shells attached to the opposite ends of the intermediate shell and having the tubes of the four banks opening into them; partitions in the 'end shell adjacent said inlet and outlet dividing the shell into a chamber opening into the tubes of the fourth chamber and having a fluid inlet, a chamber opening into the tubes of the first chamber and having a fluid outlet, and a chamber opening into the tubes of the second and third chambers; and a partition in the other end shell dividing it into a chamber opening into the tubes of the first and second chambers and a chamber opening into .the tubes of the third and fourth chambers, for continuous counter-flow of two fluids throughout the apparatus. t

8. A heating apparatus comprising an elongated tubular shell closed at its ends.; a

pair of longitudinal partitions dividing the interior of said shell intolongitudinal chambers including a first chamber, a second chamber, a third chamber and a fourth chamber, in succession around the shell axis; a fluid inlet for the first chamber and a fluid outlet for the fourth chamber both at the same end of the shell; a transverse fluid passage within said end of the shell connecting the second and third chambers; transverse fluid passages between the first chamber and the second chamber and between the third chamber'and the fourth chamber, both located within the opposite end of the shell; four banks of tubes, each bank extending through one of said chambers, leaving a surrounding conduit space along the latter and opening through the closed ends of the shell; a fluid inlet for the tubes ofthe fourth chamber near the said chamber outlet; a fluid outlet for the tubes of the first chamber near said chamber inlet; a transverse passage connecting the tubes of the second and third chambers at the end of the shell having said inlets and outlets; a passage connecting the tubes of the rst and second chambers; and a passage connecting the tubes of the third and fourth chambers, said latter passages being at the opposite end of the shell, for continuous counter-flow of two fluids throughout the apparatus.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aiiix my signature.

SAMUEL H. MoKNIGI-IT. 

